Process for preparing reduced fat meat

A process for providing reduced fat meat having a fat level of about 10 percent by weight or less and a functionality of at least 4, comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of comminuted meat having a fat content between about 20% and about 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the comminuted meat;
• heating said comminuted meat supply on a continuous-flow basis and in the absence of comminution to a temperature adequate to generally melt fat within the supply of comminuted meat and low enough to avoid any significant denaturation of protein within the comminuted meat supply in order to provide a continuous flow of heated substantially undenatured comminuted meat, said heated comminuted meat temperature being between about 100.degree. and about 115.degree. F.;
• passing said continuous flow of said heated comminuted meat at said temperature and in the substantial absence of interruption of said continuous flow and in the absence of comminution into a centrifuge to subject said continuous flow of said heated comminuted meat to a gravitational force sufficient to reduce the fat content of the comminuted meat to a target reduced fat percentage, and separating said flow of heated comminuted meat into a generally liquid phase containing substantially all of the fat content of the supply of heated comminuted meat and into a lean meat phase which is substantially undenatured and has a functionality of at least 4, said lean meat phase being at said target reduced fat percentage which is about 10 percent by weight or less, based on the total weight of the lean meat phase;
• collecting the lean meat phase as a flow of reduced fat meat from the centrifuge;
• and
• collecting the generally liquid phase as a high fat byproduct.